Why financial management is so important.
The title of my story could also be how i lost everything, but that sounded a bit too attention seeking for me. Im looking to help people, not to create sympathy for something in the past.
My name is Henk, i am currently twenty one,and i am over 8000$ in debt.
You might wonder how this is possible at my age. Let me start from the beginning.
When i was 17, i was an aspiring proffesional poker player. Also i was quite the salesman on dutch marketing sites and Ebay(buy low, sell high) and maked around 2k a month from everything. as a young unexperienced teenager i was overwhelmed with such money.
Since i was still living at my parents at the time,(wich was not really your ideal situation, but lets save that story for another time) i was really looking to move out.
Then i moved out. I bought my own house in a small town in groningen, Figuring i knew it all. i just turned eighteen,and just dropped my third education. Its not that i could not handle it,its just i had a problem with focusing to long on something. Being in school with people who learn you how to live at a minimum wage when you grow up was not my thing.
Little did i know i was already over 6000$ in study debts. Appearantly my not so awesome government only refunds your so called free scholarship if you complete the education.
Then came the responsibilty of living on my own.Even though i had a steady bankroll management regarding poker,My general wins were gone so soon i could not even remember where i spent it on. i was young, and figured i had enough money anyway. Lies.
Here is the thing,alot of small expenses make one big one. i spent around 20$ a day on shopping,figuring it was only 20 bucks. However,at the end of the month that is 30 times 20=600$. 1/4th of my income. get some clothing with that,and some nowaday taxes, and its gone.
I was always to busy living my daily life the way i liked i did not see my failures. i thought that whatever was on my bank account was mine and free to spend. i did not have any backup savings, so every unexpected breakdown or bill was a shock. eventually,it got so out of hand i was over 15K$ in debt. Not before that i was realizing it was getting out of hand.
Then when i realized i was in some deep shit i did the most stupid thing i could have done. instead of solving it with financial management or anything else, i ran.
I moved to japan for 3 month stay. Figured i could stay there the rest of my live, and be happy there forever.
after 3 months the harsh reality became clear. i had to go back and face the conseqeunces. my house was gone, most off my stuff was gone,and i was still in some big debt. after several court cases i found myself at my parents place,living off 30$ a week.I wanted to kill myself at that point. How could i be so stupid? If i kept track of my expenses everything would have been fine. and if i didnt run i wouldnt be in debt anymore at this very moment.
and thats my current life. I am still in debt, and will be for another year.Please do not make the same mistake as me and know your income and expenses. Also do not run from your problems when they strike you.
And that brings me to the end of my story. I am quite motivated to get out off the mess, and deu to my bargaining skills and my buy low sell high attitude i can make the 30$ a week around 75 a week. I have had many offerings for people to stake me in my excellent poker play, but i refused.
I have brought myself into this, and i am going to get myself out of it, fair and sqaure,combining my poker experiences with the psychologic aspect.
I have the entrepreneur attitude,and will not give up trying to get myself out of debt. and this time, i will do it right.
Thank you if you took the time to read this, and all the luck on your journey.
Henk.
The title of my story could also be how i lost everything, but that sounded a bit too attention seeking for me. Im looking to help people, not to create sympathy for something in the past.
My name is Henk, i am currently twenty one,and i am over 8000$ in debt.
You might wonder how this is possible at my age. Let me start from the beginning.
When i was 17, i was an aspiring proffesional poker player. Also i was quite the salesman on dutch marketing sites and Ebay(buy low, sell high) and maked around 2k a month from everything. as a young unexperienced teenager i was overwhelmed with such money.
Since i was still living at my parents at the time,(wich was not really your ideal situation, but lets save that story for another time) i was really looking to move out.
Then i moved out. I bought my own house in a small town in groningen, Figuring i knew it all. i just turned eighteen,and just dropped my third education. Its not that i could not handle it,its just i had a problem with focusing to long on something. Being in school with people who learn you how to live at a minimum wage when you grow up was not my thing.
Little did i know i was already over 6000$ in study debts. Appearantly my not so awesome government only refunds your so called free scholarship if you complete the education.
Then came the responsibilty of living on my own.Even though i had a steady bankroll management regarding poker,My general wins were gone so soon i could not even remember where i spent it on. i was young, and figured i had enough money anyway. Lies.
Here is the thing,alot of small expenses make one big one. i spent around 20$ a day on shopping,figuring it was only 20 bucks. However,at the end of the month that is 30 times 20=600$. 1/4th of my income. get some clothing with that,and some nowaday taxes, and its gone.
I was always to busy living my daily life the way i liked i did not see my failures. i thought that whatever was on my bank account was mine and free to spend. i did not have any backup savings, so every unexpected breakdown or bill was a shock. eventually,it got so out of hand i was over 15K$ in debt. Not before that i was realizing it was getting out of hand.
Then when i realized i was in some deep shit i did the most stupid thing i could have done. instead of solving it with financial management or anything else, i ran.
I moved to japan for 3 month stay. Figured i could stay there the rest of my live, and be happy there forever.
after 3 months the harsh reality became clear. i had to go back and face the conseqeunces. my house was gone, most off my stuff was gone,and i was still in some big debt. after several court cases i found myself at my parents place,living off 30$ a week.I wanted to kill myself at that point. How could i be so stupid? If i kept track of my expenses everything would have been fine. and if i didnt run i wouldnt be in debt anymore at this very moment.
and thats my current life. I am still in debt, and will be for another year.Please do not make the same mistake as me and know your income and expenses. Also do not run from your problems when they strike you.
And that brings me to the end of my story. I am quite motivated to get out off the mess, and deu to my bargaining skills and my buy low sell high attitude i can make the 30$ a week around 75 a week. I have had many offerings for people to stake me in my excellent poker play, but i refused.
I have brought myself into this, and i am going to get myself out of it, fair and sqaure,combining my poker experiences with the psychologic aspect.
I have the entrepreneur attitude,and will not give up trying to get myself out of debt. and this time, i will do it right.
Thank you if you took the time to read this, and all the luck on your journey.
Henk.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today